When it comes to food photography, nothing is as easy as it seems. Sometimes the frame doesn’t look as planned, the light doesn’t play the way you like, and the story is difficult to build, but in the end, it is all worth it if you can make your product look tempting!

But shooting raw food is altogether another story. The challenges of taking snapshots of raw food, especially when it is meat. Sharing some of the tips from our recent shoot which can help you achieve the perfect raw food photographs.

Need for Speed in Photography

Capturing creative and freshness of raw food in a still frame is all about the right timing. When it comes to raw food, it is a race against time because the second you remove it from the freezer, the fresh colors begin to fade away and it becomes pale and dry. Unlike all other photoshoots, the setup needs to be thought out and in place before the product is laid out. You can even take a few dummy shots with trial pieces beforehand because there will be no time for impromptu changes!

In most cases, you will only have a single chance to place your product. Raw meats tend to leave water stains the second you place them. So, make sure you are precise in your placement otherwise, you will have to start from scratch.

Always Use a Tripod

After you have taken the dummy shots, you rush to get your products. But now the pictures don’t look the same. It’s because you can never achieve the exact same angle twice! So always set up your tripod in the place you want to ensure those enticing pictures.

Create a Narrative

The looks may fade from the memory but the imprint of the story always stays. More than the products, it is the story that speaks to your audience. So, make sure you know how to reflect one in your snapshots! So don’t make a casual, everyday set up. Go for an intricately planned story instead.

Let us see some examples. Your supporting elements can show meat before you get to the cooking, with strewn spices, herbs, and sharp knives like the salmon.

Or a presentation that shows an already-cooked platter, with forks and knives the way you would eat them to build a relatedness, like we have with the picture of the prawns.

Each part of the process has a different beauty that you can highlight and the narrative can help you connect deeply with your audience. But make sure you don’t overpower your main character with the side elements! the focus always needs to be one.

Complementing Colors

While color coordination is required in all photoshoots, it becomes crucial with raw food photography. So, make sure you don’t dull down your star with colors that contrast or merge too much!

This balance can be challenging. Chicken products can range from pink to white, so try complementing them with brown backdrops. Just the way we have done in our recent shoot.

The frame set up was entirely green, so the pink stands out!

So now you know, photography comes with its challenges, but the end results can have a powerful impact on every viewer!

Bonus Tips - It’s all water or makes it shine

If your products are losing their moisture too quickly, don’t worry. There is a small way to stop time. And it’s just water! You can spray a little water on the dull parts of the meat to make sure it remains fresh for just a little bit longer, enough for you to run the shutter magic.

If the shine fades away, try adding a very thin layer of oil to the parts that you want to highlight. Less than cooking but enough to make it fresh in the camera! This simple trick from your kitchen can elevate your pictures multifold.

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